Dupondius
The dupondius was a Roman coin worth two aces .
General
In the early Roman Republic , the Dupondius had a mass of two Roman pounds (about 649 grams). Over time it shrank. In the late republic it reached its final mass of just under 17 grams.
Marcus Antonius provided the Dupondius with a stamp for the first time by hitting a B (or an 8) on the back. This made it easier to distinguish it from the ace of about the same size.
In the early Roman Empire , the coin material was chosen as a distinguishing feature. While Quadrans and As were struck in a bronze with a strong copper content , the versions of the dupondias and sesterces were made of brass .
Since the Flavians (69–89 AD), the coins have been given stamps again. From then on, the double piece of the ace wore the crown of rays on the head of the ruler or a crescent moon if it was a female portrait.
At the beginning of the 3rd century the production of the dupondius was stopped because of the great inflation.
Valencies (early imperial era)
- Aureus (gold) = 25 denarii (silver)
- Denarius = 4 sesterces (brass)
- Sesterce = 2 dupondia (brass)
- Dupondius = 2 aces (copper / bronze)
- As = 2 semisses (copper / bronze)
- Semis = 2 Quadrans (copper / bronze)
literature
- Peter Berghaus : Dupondius. In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 2nd Edition. Volume 6, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1986, ISBN 3-11-010468-7 , p. 284.
- Friedrich Hultsch : Dupondius . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume V, 2, Stuttgart 1905, Sp. 1843-1846.
